Academic Regulations: Mike Ilitch School of Business

For complete information regarding academic rules and regulations of the University, students should consult the Academic Regulations section of this bulletin. The following additions and amendments pertain to the Mike Ilitch School of Business.

All students must fulfill the upper-division requirements of the Mike Ilitch School of Business in effect at the time of admission to the Mike Ilitch School of Business.

Admission to the School

Students seeking a business degree must be granted regular admission to the University to be eligible for admission to the Mike Ilitch School of Business.

Admission to Class

Please consult each term’s Schedule of Classes for appropriate dates and deadlines for registration, late registration, and add/drop period. Students may not attend a class for which they are not officially registered and will not be added retroactively.

Application for Degree

Each candidate must file an Application for Degree, NO LATER THAN THE TENTH DAY OF CLASSES, for the semester in which he or she expects to complete the requirements for the degree. If an Application for Degree was filed for a previous semester in which the student did not graduate, a new application and fee is required.

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance is a necessary condition for success in college study. This policy recognizes that the course content includes classroom lecture and discussion, certain aspects of which may be covered on examinations, quizzes, term papers, or homework assignments. Each instructor will announce his or her attendance standards at the beginning of the term.

Change of Major

Students wishing to change majors or their Academic Plan within the Mike Ilitch School of Business must submit a request in writing to the Undergraduate Advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Student Services, 200 Prentis Building. An Academic Plan for the requested major will then be mailed. Students are advised that such changes occurring late in their program may result in additional coursework beyond the minimum requirement of 122 credits.

Student Conduct

Each student is subject to official regulations governing student activities and student behavior. Students should familiarize themselves with the obligations of students in the instructional process; see Obligations of Faculty and Students to the Instructional Process. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of each student to adhere to the principles of academic integrity. Academic integrity means that a student is honest with him/herself, fellow students, instructors, and the University in matters concerning his or her educational endeavors. Thus, a student should not falsely claim the work of another as one's own, or misrepresent him/herself so that the measures of one's academic performance do not reflect his/her own work or personal knowledge. Assignments submitted for any class are expected to be original, i.e., not resubmissions of work submitted in a previous or concurrent class.

If there are reasonable grounds to believe that a student has disregarded the regulations or student responsibilities, he or she may be disciplined. Such discipline may include suspension or dismissal, but no dismissal will be directed without reasonable opportunity for an appropriate hearing, as provided in the Student Due Process statute. For the copies of Student Code of Conduct, please refer to the Dean of Students Office where the entire document is available for review.

Degrees

Degrees are granted upon the recommendation of the faculty of the Mike Ilitch School of Business. Consideration is given to both scholastic attainment and to compliance with the standards and rules of the School.

Directed Study

A directed study is intended to give students the opportunity to conduct research in an area of interest to them under the supervision of a faculty member; credits vary between one and three. A cumulative grade point average of 3.00 is required to be eligible for consideration for directed study work. Students must complete the Undergraduate Directed Study form and obtain the required signatures prior to registration. No more than three credits of directed study in one Department are permitted in any semester. A total of no more than six credits of directed study may be used to fulfill graduation requirements. Contact the Office of Undergraduate Student Services, 313-577-4505, for further information.

Double Major

Students may pursue a double major within the Business School. For more information, contact an advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Student Services 313-577-4505.

Graduation with Distinction

Wayne State University bestows upon students completing the baccalaureate degree three separate designations for scholastic excellence reflected in the cumulative grade point average: Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Summa Cum Laude. Graduation with distinction is indicated on the student’s diploma and on the transcript.

Honors Program

Current WSU business students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher may enroll in courses with an honors component assignment option, and complete the fifteen credit required program (contact the Office of Undergraduate Student Services for details) to qualify for an honors distinction on their transcript and diploma at graduation.

Incomplete Marks

The mark of 'I' is appropriate only when a student has completed all of the requirements for a course except for a specific assignment, such as a project or final examination, and only when the instructor agrees that a student has a valid reason for not completing the assignment.

The mark of 'I' which is not converted to a letter grade within one year from the time it was received will be automatically changed to an ‘F’.

Grade Appeals Procedure

It is the instructor's prerogative to evaluate student work and assign grades in accordance with his or her academic and professional judgment. Grounds for appeal of grades include:

evaluation of student work by criteria not directly reflective of performance relative to course requirements.

In those instances where a student disputes the final grade awarded, for one of more of the above reasons, the following steps should be taken to appeal the grade in question.

Informal review

The student should discuss the disputed grade with the instructor of the course. If the dispute is not resolved informally, the student may initiate a formal appeal.

Formal appeal procedure

Within 30 calendar days following official notification of final grades for the term in which the disputed grade was awarded, and when the informal review fails to resolve the dispute, the student shall submit a written appeal detailing his/her objection, along with supporting documentation in writing, to the instructor. The instructor should respond in writing within 10 work days.

If the dispute remains unresolved, the student shall submit a written statement detailing his or her objections, including a rationale why the department chair should consider this appeal (along with supporting documentation), to the department chair within 10 work days following receipt of the instructor's written response.

The chairperson shall review the complaint and provide a copy of the written complaint to the instructor. The instructor of the course shall be invited to reply in writing to the objections of the student. Where appropriate, the chairperson may consult with a Grade Appeals Committee for advice in grade disputes. Students will be notified of the chairperson's decision within 20 business days of receiving the request.

Matters not resolved at the program level may be appealed to the dean's office. The department chair file folder containing the course syllabus from the semester in which the student took the course, plus the student's letter, the instructor's letter, and the department chair's letter, and the student's written rationale why the dean's office should reconsider this appeal, should be sent to the dean's office. Where appropriate, the dean's office may consult with a Grade Appeals Committee for advice in grade disputes.

Students shall be notified in writing of the dean's office decision within 30 business days of receiving the request. The dean's office decision shall be the final decision at the college level.

University-level academic appeals procedure

When the procedures within the School have been exhausted, the decision on the record may be appealed with the student's written rationale why the provost's office should reconsider this appeal. Procedures for requesting a provost review are published in the University Bulletin see Appeal Procedures, University.

Normal Program Load

The normal academic load for an undergraduate student in the Mike Ilitch School of Business is from nine to sixteen credits each semester, depending upon the particular courses elected. No student should expect to carry a full load and at the same time be employed full-time. Students desiring to carry more than eighteen credits must obtain written permission from the Office of Undergraduate Student Services prior to registration. Excess credits will not be honored when taken without prior written approval.

Passed/Not Passed Registration

Undergraduate students in the Mike Ilitch School of Business may not take courses offered by the Mike Ilitch School of Business on a passed/not passed basis.

Probation and Exclusion

A student who registers for, but repeatedly fails to complete his/her program and thus does not make normal progress toward graduation, may be placed on probation.

If a student’s academic work is unsatisfactory (less than 2.0 cumulative grade point average or less than 2.0 grade point average in his or her major), the student will be placed on probation with the understanding that he or she will be expected to achieve a cumulative 2.0 grade point average within the next twelve credits completed, or a 2.0 major grade point average within the next six credits completed in the major. If probationary status is not removed within the prescribed number of credits, the student is subject to either temporary suspension or permanent dismissal from either the major or from the Mike Ilitch School of Business.

The second (or subsequent) time(s) a student is placed on probation, he or she is subject to immediate dismissal from the Mike Ilitch School of Business.

In the event of a temporary suspension, readmission to the Mike Ilitch School of Business will be considered only with the recommendation of the Undergraduate Committee. (The Undergraduate Committee is composed of the departmental chairpersons and is chaired by the Assistant Dean of Student Services.) If, after readmission to the Mike Ilitch School of Business, the academic deficiency is not removed within the first nine credits attempted, the student will be permanently dismissed from the School. Coursework completed at another institution during a period of temporary suspension will not be considered for transfer credit.

The exclusion of any student will be reviewed by the Undergraduate Committee of the Mike Ilitch School of Business. A student on probation who fails to complete the courses for which he or she registers, without good reason as determined by the Dean or designee, shall not be permitted to re-register in the Mike Ilitch School of Business.

The Undergraduate Committee, upon the recommendation of the student’s Department Chairperson, may permanently exclude a student from a major, if the student fails to remove himself or herself from probationary status within the prescribed number of credits.

In matters where the School’s final decision is based upon the evaluation of a student’s academic performance and when review procedures available to him or her within the School have been exhausted, the student may request the Provost to review that decision on the record.

While on probation, a student may not represent the School in student activities.

Retaking Courses

The University policy on retaking courses is stated at: Repeating Courses — The mark of R. No course in which a student has received a passing grade or mark may be repeated without the prior written approval of the Assistant Dean of Student Services of the Mike Ilitch School of Business.

Residence Requirement

To qualify for a Baccalaureate Degree from the Mike Ilitch School of Business, the final year and the last thirty-two credits must be taken at Wayne State University. In exceptional cases, a limited number of the last thirty-two credits toward a degree may be taken at another accredited college or university. All such cases must receive the approval of the Assistant Dean of Student Services before the work is undertaken.

Students returning to the School after a five-year absence are required to conform to the program requirements in effect at the time of their return.

Records Retention by Instructors

Term papers and examinations shall either be returned to the student or retained by the instructor for a period of ninety days. Thereafter, they may be destroyed.

Transfer of Courses in Major

No more than six semester transfer credits may be applied toward a student's major requirements. These courses must have received a grade of 'C' or better. Transfer of major credit beyond six semester hours may be applied toward free elective requirements. Only transfer courses taken at an AACSB accredited college or university or via community college Articulation Agreements will be considered.

Waiver of Degree Requirements

Students must comply with degree requirements as listed in this bulletin and on their Academic Plan. Students may petition for a modification in degree requirements by completing a waiver form and submitting it to the Office of Undergraduate Student Services of the Mike Ilitch School of Business. Waiver of a School requirement requires the approval of the Dean or his/her designee. Waiver of a departmental requirement requires the recommendation of the departmental chairperson. Undergraduate students are advised that no faculty member is authorized to approve a change in degree requirements.

Withdrawals from Class

AGRADE – Accelerated Graduate Enrollment

The Mike Ilitch School of Business has established an accelerated combined undergraduate and graduate program ('AGRADE') whereby qualified students in the Mike Ilitch School of Business may enroll simultaneously in undergraduate and graduate courses of the School. A maximum of twelve credits may be applied towards both undergraduate and graduate degrees in a student's major field if the major department is an AGRADE participant. Those who elect the 'AGRADE' program may expect to complete the Bachelor's and Master's degrees in five years of full-time study.

Courses Approved for AGRADE

Takeno more than four courses or 12 credits from any one of the following program areas.

Eligibility: 'AGRADE' applicants must have an overall g.p.a. of 3.5 through their junior year. Applicants are also expected to have performed at a superior level in their major, as determined by the major department and reflected in a g.p.a. in the major of at least 3.6 at the time of application.

Application: A student seeking 'AGRADE' status should present to the Mike Ilitch School of Business Graduate Programs Office all of the materials which that department requires for normal graduate admission, EXCEPT for the GMAT or Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Specific graduate admission requirements can be found in this bulletin or obtained from the Graduate Programs Office of the Mike Ilitch School of Business at 313-577-4511.

The earliest date by which a student may apply for the 'AGRADE' program is during the semester in which he/she completes ninety credits toward the undergraduate degree.

AGRADE Credits: Students may elect a minimum of three and a maximum of twelve 'AGRADE' credits. These will be used to complete the baccalaureate degree as well as to serve as the beginning of graduate study. Upon formal admission to a master's program, 'AGRADE' credits are transferred as if they were graduate credits transferred from a graduate program at another university. The remaining graduate credits required for the master's degree will be earned in the conventional manner following formal admission to the graduate program.

For more details about the 'AGRADE' program, contact the Undergraduate Student Services Office or by calling 313-577-4505, or contact the Graduate Programs Office at 313-577-4511 or email gradbusiness@wayne.edu.